In the pursuit of mobility and portability, personal computers have slimmed down, shed weight and have become easier for users to carry and use. These computers, such as notebook and laptop computers, include one or more slots disposed in its case to accommodate accessories such as a disc drive, battery, wireless communication or network cards, etc. Although this design enables the computer maker and user to configure the computers' capabilities according to their preferences, the dimensions of the computer itself does not change with the addition or deletion of accessories as the slots are built into the housing. Further, once the computers have been configured with particular peripheral devices residing in the slots, the user generally does not alter or remove these devices from the computer.
Other personal computing devices such as handheld computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) provide alternate means of receiving user input other than handwriting recognition. Because some users have difficulty mastering the peculiar handwriting stroke requirements of the handwriting recognition software used in these PDAs, a separate keyboard may be attached to the PDA for text input. These keyboards may be attached to the PDA via a cable or a cradle that holds the PDA. These handheld devices may further provide extension slots or connectors that may receive peripheral devices and accessories. Although the addition of these peripheral devices augments the capabilities of the PDA, they increase the bulk and weight of the PDA.